Guest Post – Ashley Ladd: Why I write M/M and Transgender Romance.

I write erotic romance in many of its forms: MM, MF, MMF, MFM, MMM, and transgender. Perhaps I’ll try my hand at an FF romance one day as well.

I’ve been asked why I write in so many different genres.

In my mind, MM, MF, FF, and transgender aren’t really different “genres” but merely different characters and couplings. I write primarily contemporary erotic romance and within that, there are many characters and thus many types of pairings. Why should sexual preference be viewed differently than racial, religious, or any cultural difference?

It doesn’t matter to me what someone’s sexual preference is. And it shouldn’t matter to other people.

I didn’t always feel this way, however. When I was seventeen my fiancé revealed he was bi-sexual by kissing another man fully on the lips in front of me. Then he tried to convince me that he wasn’t cheating on me by having a boyfriend. He also convinced me that all men were sexually attracted to other men. I was scarred for a long time, believing that men didn’t like women. I also thought they were huge jerks.

Fortunately since then, I’ve matured and met many wonderful gay, lesbian and transgender people. Specifically, I’ve been befriended by a wonderful gay man. He’s one of the nicest, most interesting, and fun people in my circles and he’s been in a beautiful monogamous relationship for more than twenty years. His union is stronger, better than most of the heterosexual couples I know.

Then three years ago my thirty year old son told me he was really a female, that he had been extremely unhappy living as a male. His very life was at stake he was so unhappy. Since then, she’s gone through a sex change operation and is now a woman. Her wife stayed with her and they are much happier than when she was a man. Their children are happy and they are a beautiful family. Oh, there have been some bumps along the way. My daughter had to change jobs as her employer wasn’t happy about her transformation. Luckily, her new job is terrific and she just received a large raise and she now earns almost double my salary. Our aunt and uncle don’t want anything to do with her and haven’t spoken to her since the announcement. However, her siblings and grandparents are supportive and she also has many new friends.

As her mother, I’ve also experienced a bit of intolerance about her. This angers me for her sake and everybody like her. Two coworkers stopped being my friends when they found out. I’ve also heard there’s juicy gossip going around the office regarding my daughter which isn’t surprising as she once worked with me when she was still a man. However, my three best friends are very supportive and accepting.

I’m happy that we live in a large cosmopolitan metropolis that is tolerant of different lifestyles. My biggest fear when I first learned about my daughter’s change was for her safety. So far that fear’s been for naught. Most people have accepted her.

My hope is that people will accept other people for who they are, not who they think they should be. People are people. We’re all unique and we all have our differences. I’m heterosexual but I have flaws. I have a cleft lip and palate which I’ve received flack about over the years. I have a heterosexual friend who was born with Spinabifida and people give her a hard time too because of her disability. Discrimination in its many forms is terrible. No one should have to suffer from it for any reason. And so sometimes I write MM or transgender romance and sometimes I write MF romance. I don’t see that changing.

Guy Rogers is extremely attracted to his new realtor, Tom Beaudreaux. As a passionate vegetarian and animal activist, he’s ecstatic that Tom is a kindred soul. He could never be with a carnivore. Unfortunately, Tommy isn’t really a vegetarian or animal activist. He never said he was either, he just didn’t eat meat when he was with Guy. And maybe he emptied his house of all meat and dairy products before inviting Guy over. In fact, Tommy’s family owns the most popular barbecue restaurant in town and if his family has their way, he’ll manage the new location.

When Guy finds out that Tommy eats meat and his family owns a restaurant that is a monument to eating meat, he’s livid and doesn’t know if he wants anything else to do with Tommy.

But then Guy’s life gets crazy –his dad’s paranoia blossoms into violent dementia, he gets arrested for picketing a doggy mill, and then he winds up in even more legal trouble. When Tommy sticks by him through all his trouble and does everything he can to help him, Guy wonders if he’s been too militant and narrow-minded. Perhaps he can learn to live with people who have opposite views.

Guy finished his meal, wadded up his napkin and dropped it on his plate. “Do you think it will take long to find more houses for me to look at?”

Guy reached over as if to put his hand on Tommy’s, but stopped in midair. His eyes softened and hope flickered. “I’d like it if you made me, not my business, your priority.”

Tommy’s throat went dry and his heart flipped over. “Do you mean what I think you mean?”

Guy lowered his hand and took Tommy’s in his. “I think so. I like you—a lot. You’re handsome and charming and I feel a connection. I know it’s quick, but I’m a forthright, fast kind of guy. Besides, if you find me a house as rapidly as I want, you’ll be out of my life before I can do anything about it. Do I have a chance with you?”

Tommy wanted to jump up from his seat and shout, “Hell yeah!” But his inner angel was quarreling with his inner devil about work ethics. It wasn’t as if real estate agents had long-term contracts or dealings with their clients. They found a home, closed the deal then moved on to the next client. He supposed it wouldn’t be the end of his career if he got together with one client. Feeling as if his heart had leapt into his throat, he turned his hand over and squeezed Guy’s fingers. “Yeah. I like you a lot too.”

Guy looked like he was about to let out a whoop of victory then remembered where he was. Instead, he lowered his voice to a husky whisper. “I’d invite you to my place, but my dad would be a buzz kill. Do you have your own apartment?”

Tommy swallowed a gulp. “I do in Davie. If you don’t mind the long drive.”

“You’re a funny, funny man, Tom Boudreaux. I’ll follow you to the ends of the Earth.”

Tommy licked his suddenly dry lips and his cock twitched. In mach three, blood was rushing into it. “So I did hear that?”

“Yeah, babe, you did.”

He liked being called ‘babe’, especially by Guy. He threw several dollar bills on the table, which included a generous tip, then he stood, hoping the evidence of his arousal wasn’t noticeable. From the amused glint in Guy’s eyes, it had been noted.

Ashley Ladd is a disabled Air Force vet that is hard of hearing but still loves language, especially the written word. She loves a sexy man, especially one with a military background and they’ll often pop up in her stories. She also loves cats and has been known to empower a cat with the gift of speech. Unfortunately he wouldn’t shut up. J She loves to plug into Pandora and sip Diet Coke while writing, usually with a cat or kid at her side.